


A Thousand Maybes

by AuroraNova



Series: Ties That Bind [9]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-11 14:10:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5629306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraNova/pseuds/AuroraNova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are plenty of decent guys on the station, but no, Julian has to take up with the once and future Obsidian Order agent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Thousand Maybes

**Author's Note:**

> I can't claim anything original here, but I think it's an important bridge, if you will, in this series. 
> 
> Standard disclaimer: I own nothing and make zero profit here.

Jadzia was in her lab trying to predict the Bajoran sun’s solar flares and what, if any, possible impact a major flare would have on the wormhole when Chief O’Brien stuck his head in. “Lieutenant, do you have a minute?”

“Sure, Chief.”

She suspected she knew where this was going, and after a minute of looking at her computer model O’Brien confirmed it. “I can’t believe Julian is dating Garak.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s Garak.”

“Yes. He’s obviously been interested in Julian for a while.”

“I should’ve known, as soon as he said he’s gay, that he wouldn’t have the good sense to avoid Garak. There are plenty of decent guys on the station, but no, Julian has to take up with the once and future Obsidian Order agent.”

“He’s happy.”

“It does seem that way,” said O’Brien, clearly flummoxed by the idea.

Jadzia knew that being rejected for his romantic relationship would crush Julian. “Chief, did Julian talk to you about his childhood?”

“If you’re referring to the religious abuse, yes.”

“Then you understand the importance of not judging his relationship.”

He looked almost hopeful. “Do you think that’s it? He’s picked the most objectionable man he can find to prove a point?”

She didn’t, but, “Does it matter?”

“I guess not. Either way I can’t try to talk him out of it.”

“No.”

“But I don’t have to like it.”

“I don’t think he’s expecting you to have him and Garak over for dinner.”

O’Brien groaned. “Keiko will want to when she finds out. I can only be grateful Julian doesn’t want me telling anyone yet.”

“If you think about it, this relationship is good for Julian.”

“Because he’s dating a man? I get that part, and I can’t say I think much of his parents.”

Nor did Jadzia. It was perfectly normal for a certain percentage of the population to prefer their own sex, and Julian fully expected to be disowned for it. She, with her past experiences as a parent, couldn’t conceive of disowning a child over sexual proclivities. And Dax had never claimed to be a stellar parent.

“A man who really does care about him,” she elaborated. “Garak cares more than he lets on, I think.”

“You’re really okay with this?”

“I’m more than okay with it.”

“You don’t think it’s dangerous?”

“I don’t think there’s any more risk than the usual involved in a relationship. You always face the chance of getting your heart broken.”

“True enough,” conceded O’Brien. “And he did say he’s not looking for forever.”

“There’s an old Trill maxim: tomorrow is made of a thousand maybes and no certainties.” Lela had been very fond of the saying, though Jadzia felt it lost something in the translation.

“Is that a way of saying not to worry about the future?”

“That’s part of it.”

“Well, thanks for the perspective,” said the chief, who still didn’t look overly thrilled. Jadzia didn’t quite understand why O’Brien thought Julian was in physical danger, but she wasn’t sure asking was a good idea. O’Brien and Cardassians didn’t mix well in the best of times.

* * *

 

Miles didn’t mention Garak when he and Julian next met up for darts, and Julian didn’t bring up his Cardassian boyfriend either, but a few days later Julian joined him for a new whitewater rafting program in the holosuite and at that time Miles felt he should probably say something. Damned if he knew what.

“So, you’re actually happy with Garak?” he asked as they maneuvered the raft into the river.

“I am.”

“Huh.” Miles couldn’t being to comprehend this. “And you’re sure he’s serious about this?”

“If you’re trying to imply he’s just using me for sex, I’m positive. For one thing, we’re not even having sex at this point, though this weekend I might suggest that we try a little mutual…”

He really, _really_ didn’t want to know and hastened to say, “Too much information, Julian.”

“Anyway,” continued Julian as they started downriver, “Garak’s surprisingly cuddly.”

That was a mental picture Miles could’ve done without, though he had to say it wasn’t how he’d ever perceived the Cardassian. “Better you than me, I guess,” he said.

“I’m sure your wife would agree.”

“I just don’t know why you couldn’t date a nice, normal guy. Like Haveld.” Haveld was a Bajoran restauranteur who eschewed anything replicated (Miles appreciated that) and had a crush on Julian. “He likes you, you know.”

“He does?”

“You didn’t notice?” Julian’s bull-in-a-china-shop flirting techniques were starting to make more sense, if he hadn’t picked up on Halveld’s interest.

“It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m quite happy.”

Since his opinion clearly didn’t matter Miles decided to go with his grandmother’s maxim of keeping his mouth shut if he didn’t have anything good to say. Instead he remarked, “First set of rapids should be coming up soon.”

He just hoped that when Julian’s relationship with Garak ended it wasn’t too disastrous.


End file.
